Wednesday, August 3, 2022
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
NEWSLETTER
ՀԱՅ
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
ՀԱՅ
No Result
View All Result

Homenetmen Centennial Activities Kick-Start with Innovative Youth Forum

by Asbarez Staff
June 28, 2018
in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories, Youth
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Speakers of the “Empowering the Future: Your Step for a Stronger Armenia" panel.
Speakers of the “Empowering the Future: Your Step for a Stronger Armenia” panel.

Los Angeles—The Homenetmen Western USA’s Centennial Youth Forum took place June 23, during which activists, government officials, media experts, and venerated politicians gathered together in discussions about how the youth can play their part in serving their communities, both in the diaspora and the homeland.

“Our lineup of panelists brought with them a very rich history of service to the community and expertise in their respective fields. It was both an educational and a networking opportunity for many of our young participants. We hope that the information obtained will inspire and equip them with the tools they need to elevate themselves and others along with the causes they care about,” Homenetmen Youth Committee Secretary Edwin Kamarzarian, who began the forum with opening remarks on behalf of Homenetmen Western USA, said. “We thank all the speakers and attendees for spending their Saturday with us, and Woodbury University for sponsoring the event.”

The forum kicked off with representatives from five youth organizations discussing their work and organizational goals for the “Mobilizing the Future: Elevating Your Cause Through Activism” panel. Moderator Talin P. Kargodorian, principal of Vahan and Anoush Chamlian Armenian School, was joined by former Armenian Youth Federation Central Executive member Joseph Kaskanian; Founding Board Member of the Homenetmen Youth Committee Varand Avanesian; Hyer United Board Member Meher Khechadori; Bridge of Health President Robert Agaverdian; and ALL-Armenian Student Association Advisor to the Executive Board Ripsime Biyazyan.

Speakers of the “Mobilizing the Future: Elevating Your Cause Through Activism" panel.
Speakers of the “Mobilizing the Future: Elevating Your Cause Through Activism” panel.

Throughout the panel, the representatives urged young audience members to get involved and make time for causes that they care about, regardless of their level of experience, age or how hectic their schedules may be.

“If you think it, you can do it,” Kaskanian said, encouraging audience members as he recalled how mobilized young Armenians managed to shut down Wilshire Boulevard, where the Turkish Consulate is located, and bring awareness to the Artsakh independence case during the Four-Day War.

Participants were also offered insight into the roles they could play by joining the organizations. Agaverdian also encouraged individuals to start their own causes.

“It doesn’t matter what you do, just as long as you give back to your Armenian community and you believe in that, that’s all you need. You can join Bridge of Health, you can join any organization. Just join or create something that’s close to your heart and go with it,” he said.

Following the youth activist panel was “Envisioning the Future: Youth, Politics and Power.” Anahid Oshagan, a long-time activist and ANCA-Western Region Board member, moderated discussions between California State Senator Anthony Portantino, Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Kassakhian, and audience members.

Speakers of the “Envisioning the Future: Youth, Politics and Power" panel.
Speakers of the “Envisioning the Future: Youth, Politics and Power” panel.

The panelists offered insight into the power of politics and youth involvement, discussing their own career trajectories and ways in which youth can navigate the political world through causes and issues that are important to them.

Portantino recalled how he has been approached numerous times by individuals who expressed they wanted to run for office; however, when asked why, they were unable to answer.

“People come up to me and say ‘I want to be on a state commission, which one would help me in my political career?’ I always say, ‘Well, of the 1000 commissions, which one has the subject matter that you care about?’” Portantino said. “As a commissioner, you’ll do a better job on a subject area you actually care about. I say to people, ‘The folks around you will see that gleam in your eye and that subject competency and that passion about that issue.”

Building on Portantino’s points, Kassakhian said that for individuals who want to run for office and become elected officials, believing in a cause is crucial, noting that people should not run for an elected position just for “the sake of it.”

“The best leaders are followers,” he said, quoting leadership expert Simon Sinek. “By followers, I don’t mean following an individual, but you have to follow something such as a cause. You have to believe in something and people have to see that you believe that something to be inspired by your actions.”

At the end of the panel, the forum broke for a brief lunch, where participants met panelists and engaged in further discussions.

Lunch was followed by a Skype-in talk with the Republic of Armenia’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, which marked his first such participation with the Los Angeles community since his appointment to the position.

Hayrapetyan answered previously submitted questions by audience members and discussed the role of the diaspora in the future of Armenia. He also addressed the ministry’s key goals for the future of the homeland.

“There are three important focus areas that will be taken into consideration in our daily agenda: repatriation, the preservation of the Armenian identity, and the use of our collective intellectual potential,” he said. “I know that nothing happens at once, but we are young, [we] are enthusiastic, we are crazy and there is no turning back.”

While answering audience questions, Hayrapetyan discussed the role of the diaspora in the recent Velvet Revolution.

“We felt your support and we felt that you had our back,” he said. “By ‘our’, I mean the Armenian people. We are more than sure that if it was not for the support of the Armenian diaspora, the revolution might not have ended this way. We think that it is also thanks to the pressure of the diasporas that the revolution of love, unity and solidarity was so successful.”

Hayrapetyan’s discussion was part of the panel, “Empowering the Future: Your Step for a Stronger Armenia,” also featuring Director of the Sosé and Allen’s Legacy Foundation Vaché Thomassian, Public Relations Coordinator for the Hidden Road Initiative Margarita Baghdasaryan, and founder of The Stark Group and former Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region Elen Asatryan. The panelists discussed the multitude of opportunities available for youth interested in strengthening the future of Armenia through their own efforts and involvement.

The panelists also discussed how the revolution has brought a renewed sense of energy among individuals who want to get involved and contribute, as they are more confident that their efforts will make a difference under the new leadership.

“For us, at the Hidden Road Initiative, the biggest challenge that we consistently had to deal with, pre-revolution, was the pessimism and negativity of, ‘Why are you doing this, anyway? There is so much corruption, it’s not going to get done, people are going to ruin it after you leave,’” Baghdasaryan said.  “Thankfully, we proved them wrong time and time again and I think what this shift in the psychological perspective of how people view Armenia is extremely positive and it is filled with hope. I think that will also, in itself, provide many opportunities for people here who want to contribute.”

Among many other areas, Thomassian emphasized how much easier it has become to engage in Armenian affairs.

“The World is a smaller place than it’s ever been,” he said, adding that there is a need to shift the mindset when thinking about the homeland “from Armenia is a charitable cause to Armenia is an opportunity nation. Armenia should be pitied vs. Armenia should be participated in.”

Asatryan also advised participants to do their homework and conduct research to see if organizations that cater to causes that are important to them already exist and the importance of partnerships. This way, rather than starting a new organization, they can join forces with an existing organization and expand their collective reach and influence.

Speakers of the “Fusing the Future: The Power of Mass and Social Media" panel.
Speakers of the “Fusing the Future: The Power of Mass and Social Media” panel.

Forum discussions concluded with “Fusing the Future: The Power of Mass and Social Media,” led by founder and director of New Michigan Media Hayg Oshagan, Emmy Award-nominated general assignment reporter for KTLA 5 News Ellina Abovian, and founder of Seviant™ Studios Sevan Torossian.

The panelists discussed the role of social media in organizational growth and development, with Abovian addressing the role of responsible journalism and how to get coverage, and Torossian discussing the more technical aspects of brand development and the dos and don’ts of social media.

“There has developed, over the last 20 years or so, a new sense of community,” Oshagan said. “A new sense of belongingness that we have all now, more or less, adopted. A few things fundamentally have changed. One of them is privacy. Social media has opened our world up to a lot of people that are not really are our friends, but are still our friends on Facebook … our sense of friendship has changed. We have friends on Facebook [that we] keep track of on social media, people that we have never met but feel close to…all of this is a digital environment. A digital sense of friendship and belongingness and connectivity. This is the new world and organizations have to understand how to deal with this world. This is where our family of organizations is often behind.”

Audience members joined panelists for a Mix and Mingle Social after the panel, where they were served wine, beer and finger foods.

The Youth Forum was part of a series of events for Homenetmen Western Region’s centennial anniversary. The event was streamed on Facebook and is available to watch online.

The forum will be followed by a Victory Ball on July 1; the Navasartian Games and Festival from July 3–7; and a historical exhibition and all-day street festival open to the public September 16. Centennial activities will conclude with the official Centennial Celebration Programs scheduled for October 5 in Northern California and October 28 in Southern California at Glendale High School.  

Community members are encouraged to visit the centennial website for additional information. For sponsorship opportunities, call (510) 858-4003 or email sponsorship@weare100.info.

The Armenian General Athletic Union and Scouts, referred to as Homenetmen, is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1918, which has to date served more than 800,000 youth in five continents. Homenetmen Western Region currently has 19 chapters. It is the largest Armenian athletic and scouting organization in the United States.

Asbarez Staff

Asbarez Staff

Next Post

ANCA Grassroots Advocates Hit Capitol Hill

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Through Use of Force, Azerbaijan is Forcing Concessions from Artsakh, Says Human Rights Defender

Through Use of Force, Azerbaijan is Forcing Concessions from Artsakh, Says Human Rights Defender

11 hours ago
Russia Again Blames Azerbaijan for Ceasefire Violation

Russia Again Blames Azerbaijan for Ceasefire Violation

12 hours ago

Connect with us

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

Accessibility

Accessibility modes

Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.

Online Dictionary

    Readable Experience

    Content Scaling
    Default
    Text Magnifier
    Readable Font
    Dyslexia Friendly
    Highlight Titles
    Highlight Links
    Font Sizing
    Default
    Line Height
    Default
    Letter Spacing
    Default
    Left Aligned
    Center Aligned
    Right Aligned

    Visually Pleasing Experience

    Dark Contrast
    Light Contrast
    Monochrome
    High Contrast
    High Saturation
    Low Saturation
    Adjust Text Colors
    Adjust Title Colors
    Adjust Background Colors

    Easy Orientation

    Mute Sounds
    Hide Images
    Virtual Keyboard
    Reading Guide
    Stop Animations
    Reading Mask
    Highlight Hover
    Highlight Focus
    Big Dark Cursor
    Big Light Cursor
    Navigation Keys

    Asbarez.com Accessibility Statement

    Accessibility Statement

    • www.asbarez.com
    • August 3, 2022

    Compliance status

    We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

    To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

    This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

    Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

    If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email

    Screen-reader and keyboard navigation

    Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:

    1. Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

      These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.

    2. Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.

      Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Disability profiles supported in our website

    • Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
    • Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
    • Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
    • ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
    • Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
    • Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

    1. Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
    2. Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
    3. Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
    4. Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
    5. Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
    6. Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
    7. Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.

    Browser and assistive technology compatibility

    We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers), both for Windows and for MAC users.

    Notes, comments, and feedback

    Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to